Kansas City, Mo. – Agriculture faces a variety of challenges and opportunities in the near future including finding a way to feed a growing global population and replacing retiring leaders.
In this environment, DuPont Pioneer sees great promise in the agriculture industry and is committed to training a new generation of agriculture leaders. One way Pioneer accomplishes this is supporting the Agriculture Future of America. AFA provides leader development programs for college students and young professionals pursuing careers in agriculture. Pioneer financially sponsors student delegates to the AFA Leaders Conference and invests time in building relationships with delegates.
Students, such as local student Denise Beam who attends The Pennsylvania State University, were able to gain added-value in the conference environment through personal interactions with Pioneer representatives. Beam from Elverson, Pa., was invited to a special breakfast at the conference where Pioneer representatives took the time to learn student’s stories as well as share the opportunities that Pioneer has to offer.
‘Pioneer is strongly committed to investing in young professionals to help them become future leaders in our industry,’ said Theresa Swaim, DuPont Pioneer Talent Acquisition. ‘We work with AFA to support students preparing for careers in agriculture. I always leave the conference feeling energized and excited about what the future will hold for these students.
For four days, Nov. 1-4, over 500 students met in Kansas City, Mo., for the AFA Leaders Conference. They engaged with agriculture and food industry professionals and developed soft skills they needed to put their scholastic and leadership training into action. Student delegates were chosen through a competitive application process and their participation is funded through a variety of means including sponsorship from their school, community or industry businesses, such as Pioneer, that partner with AFA.
AFA’s mission is to create partnerships that identify, encourage and support outstanding college men and women who are preparing for careers in the agriculture and food industry. With student participation increasing 65 percent in the last five years, AFA leader development programs have impacted 9,000 college leaders and young professionals from more than 200 colleges and universities throughout 43 states since its inception in 1996. AFA has awarded more than $7.5 million in academic and leader development scholarships. For more information about AFA, visit www.agfuture.org or contact Megan Karlin at Megan.Karlin@agfuture.org.
